THE BOTTOM LINE

University of Mississippi athletic officials confirm that football player Roy Lee (Chuckie) Mullins, paralyzed by a game injury last Saturday, also suffered about five minutes of paralysis after being hit during a scrimmage in 1988. But athletic trainer Leroy Mullins, no relation to the injured player, said today that there was no medical connection between the August injury and the incident Saturday in which the player fractured the four vertebrae of his neck. After the 1988 incident, Mullins was tested by doctors and given clearance to resume practice when there were no signs of serious injury. Ole Miss has set up a trust fund to help provide lifetime care for Mullins.